Introduction.

As our work experience grows, it can be tempting to apply for positions with more responsibility. Experience is gained by working in challenging environments and coming out with minimal adverse outcomes. How can you communicate these challenging situations in a storytelling format during an interview in a way that the interviewer can relate to and understand?

I Used to Skip Interviews

For many years, I skipped interviews because I needed to spend time reflecting on what I had learned. I went to work for a paycheck and was content just seeing that paycheck every month. But as I began my journey as an entrepreneur, I realized I needed help and started seeking it outside without considering the years of experience I already had.

Answers to difficult questions are not difficult.

In his book “Atomic Habits,” James Clear states that the most difficult part of any task is starting it. Similarly, the most challenging aspect of answering difficult questions is beginning to find the answers.

During interviews, most candidates experience a feeling of nervousness, often referred to as “butterflies in the stomach.” This feeling is primarily caused by being unprepared for potentially difficult questions.

Typically, difficult questions are related to the role of the organization. Therefore, look for potential questions related to the specific role rather than generic questions. The good news is that once you prepare answers, you can use them repeatedly in future roles.

For example, here are some tough sample questions.

For a Software Developer Role	Technical Director Role
1. Why Did You Decide to Become a Software Engineer? 2. What’s important when checking a team member’s code? 3. Talk about a project you completed successfully. 4. What Are You Looking for in This Job? 5. What Are You Working On right now?	1. What would you consider the most challenging part of being a technical director? 2. How will you motivate your team to reach a tight deadline? 3. Describe a time when someone injured themselves on the job. What did you do? 4. What would you do if your leadership abilities were criticized? 5. Where do you go to find your favorite sources to study technical innovations in your free time?

Ways to formulate answers to challenging questions.

I came across the concept of the paradox of choice from Barry Schwartz’s book of the same name. It is a fascinating viewpoint on what happens when presented with too many choices. While there are many methods to formulate answers to challenging questions, I prefer two methods.

1. S.T.A.R Interview Method: Situation Task Action Result.
   1. S = Situation.
   2. T = Task.
   3. A = Action.
   4. R = Result.
2. P.A.R.A.D.E Interview Method.
   1. P = Problem.
   2. A = Anticipated Consequence.
   3. R = Role.
   4. A = Action.
   5. D = Decision-Making Rationale.
   6. E = End Result.

I looked at my work experience and put together many of the experiences in the STAR model. The below examples are specific to the technology industry.

For example:

• How I communicated my peer review results.
• How I informed the client that the deployment would be delayed.
• How I communicated schedule slippage to the product owner.

Practice, Practice, Practice.

Employers look for more than hard skills; they want to ensure the candidate they bring in can fit into the team and work along, just like how we pick our friends. To sound authentic to these problematic questions, you must practice them beforehand. There is no remedy or magic beyond practice. Practice by yourself in front of the camera. Practice in front of a mirror.

The easiest method is to look for answers from your own experience, which will sound more authentic and genuine to the situation. When you answer your own experience, authenticity comes up naturally in your answer and voice.

Conclusion.

Work is where we spend the majority of our valuable time. Choosing the right environment can help us grow and contribute meaningfully through our work. However, it’s often the case that the best environments have the toughest entrances to go through. Predicting and preparing for potential challenges is one way to overcome them.